Riley, through the U.S. Conference of Mayors, sought assistance in clearing an estimated 15,000 trees from the city's streets and providing support to as many as 75,000 people who are believed to have been left homeless by the storm, according to a statement issued Thursday by the office of Newport News City Manager Ed Maroney.

Maroney, who is attending a conference in Iowa, "directed his staff to organize, with City Council's approval, a contingent of equipment and personnel which could be dispatched immediately to join in the relief effort," the statement says.

Coordinating the Newport News crew's efforts in Charleston will be Frank E. Pittman, coordinator of emergency management. Doug Odom of the Department of Public Works will supervise the crew, which was selected from among the more than 80 city employees who volunteered.

The Newport News City Council will be asked at its Oct. 10 meeting to approve a special appropriation to cover the estimated $25,000 cost, the statement says.

Private donations of chain saws, replacement parts, fuel and oil have been made for the project by Solo Inc. of Newport News. York Oil Co. of Hampton has contributed diesel fuel to run the equipment.

Among the private efforts under way, the most recent was started Wednesday by Tracey Master of Hampton and her 8-year-old son, Philip.

Tracey Master said she contacted a former employer who runs a moving van company and talked him into agreeing to transport donated goods.

By the end of the day she had similar commitments from four other moving van companies, her church, Buckroe Baptist Church, and the managers of two Peninsula Days Inn motels.

John Matson, who manages Days Inn-Hampton, donated a room for Masters to use as a headquarters, said Diane Butler, assistant manager.

Matson's counterpart at the Days Inn in Denbigh, Mike Callahan, agreed to donate 14 beds, eight baby cribs, six cases of bed linens and two dozen lamps.

The Rev. Eddie Heath, pastor of Buckroe Baptist Church, said the church, located at 1918 N. Mallory St., can be used as a drop-off point for goods.

Volunteers among its parishioners will help Master in a donut sale to raise money for Hugo victims on Saturday and Sunday, in front of the Sav-A-Center store at Riverdale Plaza, starting each day at 7 a.m., "until we run out of donuts," said Master.

Other activities include ongoing coordination of volunteer relief projects by the Red Cross.

Candace Carey, Hampton Roads Red Cross chapter manager, said she's arranged for 20 Coast Guard volunteers from the Peninsula to spend the weekend in Charleston helping with the cleanup and manning Gov. Riley's hotline for people needing housing.

"The outpouring here has just amazed me. The generosity is overwhelming," said Carey, formerly of Chicago, who took over the area Red Cross job on Sept. 5.

She said the Peninsula United Way has made a special $2,500 donation to the Red Cross chapter to help pay for a direct-mail campaign to solicit cash donations for relief efforts.

Anheuser-Busch Inc. in James City County has sent more than 34,000 cases of canned drinking water to Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Sumter and Rock Hill in South Carolina. The shipments were sent to local Anheuser-Busch wholesalers for distribution to local Red Cross centers in each disaster area, according to a company statement.

Faith Temple Church of God in Christ, 252 W. Queen St., Hampton, will accept donations Saturday of emergency items for distribution to The Salvation Army and Red Cross, said the Rev. John C. Fuller.

Woodmen of the World, Cook Camp 49, will accept donated items at its insurance office at 915 Aberdeen Road, Hampton, today through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., said William Buie, president of the fraternal order's local chapter.

Buie said the items will be delivered to South Carolina in trucks arranged for by David Hooker, a Williamsburg businessman who has organized a volunteer community relief project.

United Steelworkers Local 8888 at Newport News Shipbuilding is donating money. Money will go to Local 863 in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. and Local 4161 in Goose Creek, S.C., said President Russell N. Axsom. The union locals will distribute the money for disaster relief.

An advisory issued by Charleston Mayor Riley lists building materials and tools, non-perishable food and baby supplies as the most needed.